Sports Minister Vows Ksh70M Reward for Athletes Still Waiting for Payouts
Sports, Youth Affairs, and Creative Economy Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya is facing increasing criticism after it was revealed that a Ksh2 million cheque meant for the Kenya Lionesses rugby team has yet to be cashed — weeks after he posed for photos with it.
The matter sparked heated exchanges in the Senate on Wednesday, July 23, where Mvurya was summoned to address the delay in rewarding athletes who have brought glory to the country.
Appearing before the Senate, Mvurya admitted that indeed some athletes had been promised financial rewards by the Ministry, but these pledges had not yet materialized.
Among the cases brought to light was that of the Kenya Lionesses, whose celebratory photo with the CS and a symbolic Ksh2 million cheque was widely circulated — yet, the funds have not reached the players.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna openly questioned the CS over the apparent mismatch between the public photo-op and the actual disbursement of money.
“Can the CS explain to this House why he took a photograph with the Kenya Lionesses while holding a dummy cheque worth Ksh2 million, yet the players have never received that money? Why hasn’t that cheque been cashed to date?” Sifuna asked firmly.
In response, Mvurya acknowledged the incident and promised that the cheque for the Lionesses, along with others, would be honoured soon. He revealed that the Ministry had already allocated Ksh70 million specifically for rewarding athletes who have achieved notable victories but are yet to be officially compensated.
“I agree, we did take those pictures. But I want to assure this House and the public that the Ksh70 million has been set aside and part of it will go to the national rugby team, including the Lionesses. This amount will cater to all outstanding athlete rewards,” said Mvurya.
He went on to say that starting next week, the Ministry would begin calling the athletes to officially hand over the promised funds in a formal event.
“In the coming weeks, we will begin summoning athletes and rewarding them in a public ceremony,” he added.
However, Sifuna appeared unconvinced. Throughout the session, he could be seen shaking his head in disapproval, expressing visible dissatisfaction with the CS’s explanations.
The senator also reminded the House that Mvurya had made the same promise as early as July 9, when he initially announced the Ksh70 million reward package — yet almost a month later, not a single athlete had received their dues.
Despite the pressure, Mvurya stood his ground and reiterated that the Ministry’s plan is still active and will be implemented as outlined.
“There’s no need to panic. I can see Senator Sifuna nodding, but let me clarify — the Ksh70 million is a comprehensive package that will soon be rolled out. The public will witness the official reward ceremonies. Maybe Senator Sifuna prefers a different method, but this is the arrangement we have made as a Ministry,” the CS maintained.
As the controversy simmers, the sports community and fans are now watching closely to see whether the Ministry will fulfill its promise and honour Kenya’s hardworking athletes — especially those like the Kenya Lionesses, whose sacrifices have yet to be financially recognized.
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